Often overlooked by media is the underlying basis for even looking at Russian connections and its meaning.

If Mr Trump had taken the standard arms length approach to Russia, I suspect there would not have been much investigation into any connections which for the most part can easily be explained as routine government business. However, when Mr Trump appeared to be in a bromance with Putin it raises questions about the relationship and when all the contacts are considered in that context, we have questions which matter.

Speculating on possible results of connections, we have the most odious possibility Mr Trump would be willing to allow Russian intervention in Eastern Europe without US retaliation. The evidence which supports that possibility is not hysterical as conservatives and Republicans would have people believe, but is based on facts when considered in the broader context of a changed Republican platform and the many ties between Russians and Trump associates.

The bottom line is we do not know the extent of Russianization of the Trump administration.

_________________________ignorance is the enemywithout equality there is no liberty

At least 7 Russian officials have turned up dead since Election Day. Here's what we know.

Quote:

Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, died suddenly in New York earlier this week, apparently of cardiac arrest.

Churkin, Russia's envoy to the U.N. since 2006, reportedly became ill at his Russian Mission office in Manhattan on Monday and died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He was to turn 65 the next day.

The New York City medical examiner said more study is required into the cause and manner of Churkin's death, though federal law enforcement has said it does not believe there was any foul play.

Still, because Russia is no stranger to political murders, the sudden death of a Russian official automatically raises suspicion. So while Churkin may indeed have died of natural causes, some have noted that it follows several other recent deaths of Russian officials, all occurring suddenly or under mysterious circumstances — including a man who is believed to have helped former M16 spy Christopher Steele compile his bombshell dossier on Donald Trump's links to Russia.

If Trump had "seriously thought", an oxymoron for his cognition, about running for public office he would have taken more care to conceal his dirty doings. Clearly he did not understand, or misunderestimated, the tenacity of investigative journalism. All he would have to have done would be to hire a shop to do a first pass opposition research on himself. Of course he is way too paranoid to trust anyone to compile such a dossier.

I think he just wanted the bragging points and attention and it got out of hand. He never figured he would get this much screwtiny, as who go to the expense and trouble to do deep international background on an early looser in a primary of 17 colorful candidates.

Now there is a desperate, and likely futile, attempt to retroactively cover up all of that large scale, low hanging fruit, much of which is almost certainly highly criminal money laundering for the Russian oligarchs.

RE:

Quote:

rporter314: Speculating on possible results of connections, we have the most odious possibility Mr Trump would be willing to allow Russian intervention in Eastern Europe without US retaliation.

I am not too worried about this now as I suspect that similarly to his modus operandi of dealing with other contractors, he will simply stiff them. He is a master bait and switch artist. Now that it is exposed his quid pro quo options are severely limited, and he can now earnestly claim to his Rusky friends: I would love to help you all I can, but my hands are tied. They could still destroy him in a flash, but he is betting/hoping that even weakened, they view him as a still useful asset/idiot. The Russians are obviously worried by this unpredictability, that now seems likely worse than the Hillary demon that they knew and understood. What will it take for them to play their high trump card and anoint Prez Pence? Time will tell!

I doubt that Russian golden sexploitation blackmail would worry him, as Pussy-Grabber in chief snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in that scandal, that has immunized him from paraphilia related damage. Even the incestuous and pedophilia angles are shockingly ignored by the true believers. In fact, these otherwise exclusionary characteristic, have strengthened his appeal to the "mens rights" nut/whack jobs, and inexplicably many women have, with sincere so-called Christian values, turned the other cheek.

conservatives believe The Great One is a Constitutional scholar ... I listen to him occasionally and he impresses me as an idiot => he argues the Constitution and then proclaims Pres Obama is a secret Muslim (without benefit of any facts)

Of course he also says only conservatives have the intellect to discern facts and make logical arguments ... I have to conclude he goes brain dead occasionally

_________________________ignorance is the enemywithout equality there is no liberty